Category Archives: reading

Once you have determined your child’s learning style, how do you use that information to help them learn? Here are a couple of pointers that you can use to engage your child using their learning style preference to improve reading.

Improve Reading – Visual Learner

The child whose main learning preference is visual, thrives on images. Have them draw images from the book. Rewrite key words that they learnt or look for similar words and patterns when you are out and bout.

Point out details in pictures and illustrations in the book.

Use highlighting tape/bookmark in text or a pointer

Make reference to visuals around the room that are similar to the book.

Talking and discussions are a great way to engage your auditory reader and improve their reading skills and retention. Allow them to hear the story, that could be you pre-recording your reading of the book, or getting an audio of the book to read along with. Seeing the movie or play of the book is also a great retention mechanism for auditory learners.

Talking to themselves or with others about what they’re reading

Reading a book and listening to the audio book at the same time (make a recording of the book ahead of time)

Read alouds.

Teach rhymes or sing to learn skills.

Encourage retellings of the book.

Provide Puppets

Clap out the syllables in words.

Vary pitch and tone of voice when reading.

Improve Reading – Kinesthetic and Tactile Learner

For these active learners, the trick to improve reading and learning is to make it an active event. Allow them to read in motion or if that is not possible, let them take frequent breaks to run a lap, do jumping jacks for pages read or act out the page just read.

I have recently been doing a lot of reading about learning styles and how to best incorporate them into our product offerings and ensure they are well represented in the My Treasure Trunks. I decided to write an article about it for the blog.

We all know that children learn differently. If you can figure out what your child’s learning style or personality is. You can use this to help them in school and life, by presenting information in a certain way that makes it easier for them to retain information, learn and thrive.

Learning Styles refer to how children use their senses when they learn. We commonly consider four modalities or styles: visual (seeing), auditory (hearing), kinesthetic (moving), and tactile (touching). Most people ( children included) use a combination of learning styles but we all have preferences that can be capitalized on, as well as weaker leanings that can be improved. Understanding your child’s learning style can reduce frustrations in school and at home.

Here are some tips to determine your child’s learning style:

Visual learner?

What paid activity are they most likely to request?

A visual learners may ask for art/painting lessons

An auditory learner may pick music lessons

A kinesthetic learner will likely request to join a sports team

What type of toys does your child gravitate towards?

Visual learners will pick the art project.

Auditory learners may pick one that will make music or noise

Kinesthetic learners will most likely choose a ball, frisbee or other active toy

What are his or her interests?

Visual learners are typically interested in videos and images.

Auditory learners may enjoy sound and music.

Kinesthetic learners are generally interested in movement and physical activities.

How does he or she read a book?

Visual learners will typically sit quietly immersed in the words and pictures

Auditory learners might be more likely to read aloud to themselves or request you read to them

Kinesthetic learners may fidget or read walking around the room.

How does he or she solve a problem?

Visual learners will find answers and solutions using their eyes.

Auditory learners will likely talk out the problem or want to discuss it.

Kinesthetic learners may attempt to figure it out using using their hands.

Does your child gravitate more towards one style than the others or are they all over the place? In the next blog I will talk a little more about some things you can do to capitalize on their learning style preferences. What new thing did you learn?

This is a standard in our home and a great rule to possibly implement in your own home with young readers. “Read the book before you see the movie”. We won’t go see any movie until we’ve read the book. Whether my husband and I read the book to the kids or they read it alone, each member of the family can go see the movie after the book is read. So, if your child is looking forward to seeing the next Chronicles of Narnia movie, the next Harry Potter movie or the next Disney movie, they’ll have to read the book first or at least something very closely related if the movie is not based on a book! You can probably do the same with netflix and whatever streaming system you use.

So when you here the next I want to go watch such and such, just remind them that they must. Read the book before then can see the movie. You will get a little moaning at first, but they will get used to it.

Compare the movie and book afterward. You can discuss what was different between the two. What was changed and why. Did what they imagined- books without pictures – measure up with the movie. What would they change if they had the chance to make the movie themselves. Would they have made different castings.

That’s it. Another easy way to turn your child into a reader for life.

I just had another great thought you could implement to get your little one reading more

Holiday / Summer or Anytime reading incentives

You can sign up for a summer reading program at pretty much any library in the country. If your local library does not have a summer reading program, then create one at home, with rewards for reading books. You can use a Monopoly (or Life) board and allow your child to move one space for each book he reads. Or if you want to have more fun, let him roll the dice each time he reads a book and have prizes available for passing certain points.

Make sure the rewards are something very desirable. If your child values time with you more than toys, then set a date together doing his favorite thing. If he values a certain toy, let him earn it. Or let him earn a chance to get out of his regular chores. Take him to his favorite restaurant. Just have fun with it and he /she will, too.

Is your child is showing little interest in reading, there is hope. Here is a sneaky way to inspire a love of reading in even the most reluctant reader Sometimes moms and dads have to get sneaky, but you can still turn your child into a reader, even if he is reluctant about it.

inspire a love of reading

The Early Bedtime trick.

One of my favorite ways to get my kids to read is something they hopefully will not figure out until they have kids of their own. Two words “Early Bedtime”

You might be wondering how an increase in sleep can help your child to spend more time reading. Well, here’s the trick. Set their bedtime for 45 minutes to an hour before they need their lights out.

Here’s how our bedtime routine goes. The kids brush teeth and use the bathroom. Then I read them their stories. This is all done before their official bedtime. Then, I simply give them an option. I say It’s time for bed, now. Would you like lights out or would you like to stay up and read for a bit?

Unless they are really tired, they’ll always choose to read awhile. I do not have to beg nor manipulate them into reading. In fact, they think it’s their idea and they have grown to love their chance for a ‘late’ bedtime. Then, I back off. I don’t try to instruct them in any way, nor help them choose books. This is their time. They can choose whichever book they like and look at it however they like until I come in to kiss them goodnight and turn their lights out. Of course, if they want me to stay and listen to them read, I’m more than happy to comply. Try it. It works.

There you have it – a sneaky way to turn your child into a reader for life. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do 🙂

Research by the International Reading Association has shown that children who do not read during the summer can lose up to three months of reading progress and the loss of that knowledge is a cumulative and has a long-term effect. To help with that, we have a great summer reading sale going on now at our ebay store. Go on over and stock up on books and teaching staples for a summer full of reading and learning!

Summer Reading Sale Going on Now

So take the time out of school right now and incorporate learning and reading along with all those other fun activities, like camp and lazy days at the beach. Some ideas of what your child can do to keep the knowledge from the last school year:

Write Stories in the sand while at the beach.

Write a journal of all the summer activities

Join a summer reading contest at your local library or bookshop

Get some books out of the library of places you will visit and activities that you have planned

Read and find items on the shopping list

Help prepare meals by reading the recipes and measuring

Read a book and re-enact it with friends

Make a game and write out the rules for the whole family to follow

Enjoy your Summer reading adventures ! Stop by the store for many books for summer reading at great prices!